This is a really interesting topic--I didn't know dark tourism was a 'thing', but I understand it from my own lens. I have traveled to several battlefield sites over the years (does that qualify?) in the US, from the both the Civil and Revolutionary wars, and they are some of the most memorable places to visit. My late husband was a huge history buff, and we visited out of his interest (which became mine) and to further our perspectives on what had happened.
I definitely agree with Aoife about these spaces having an energy you can sense if you're aware of the possibility and in tune with your own energetic awareness--I've had that many times. Hope you continue to examine this. I'll look forward to reading more.
Hi Beth, thank you for your comments and for reading. I do find dark tourism interesting too and I think you're correct in classifying US Civil and Revolutionary war battle sites as dark tourism sites. I do wonder about how the energy affects us all differently? I have been to some Civil war sites but I was a kid so I don't recall much about them.
I did mention to Aoife that after visiting the museum in Vilnius, I needed a bit of recovery time as I had already visited some WWII memorials and sites in both Poland and Latvia already on that trip. On my way home, I was in Amsterdam for a couple of days and considered going to the Anne Frank House, but I could not handle any more heavy sites. I visited art museums instead. And, I was only there briefly and know I'll return and be able to visit and pay it the respect it deserves. So yes, you're both right, the energy is strong even if you can't exactly label it at the time. I think I am way more in tune with that sort of thing now than I was then so returning might be totally different. This topic continues for one more issue and I have a few articles I am looking at but going to see what I can find on the topic.
Sonya, this issue is really interesting and I loved reading a further introduction to Dark Tourism -- something I’m intrigued by in terms of it being its own travel experience thing while also feeling complicated emotions around when tourist/travel experiences overlap with what is essentially dark tourism. On this note, have you heard of Eckhart Tolle’s Pain Body thesis? If not, basically it can feel like an energetic field around places where deeply negative (read: awful) things have happened. Did you feel this when you were at the museum in Vilnius? I definitely felt something similar when I was at the House of Leaves -- the surveillance centre and courtroom of the secret police -- in Tirana, Albania. Equally though, sometimes I feel like you can sense the Pain Body in places where without really knowing what it is that’s “making your spidey senses tingle”. So interested in what you have to say about this! Hoping your January is lovely so far ☺️
Hi Aoife, thank you for your comment! I was nervous about this topic even though I started by keeping it more as an introduction. I have not heard of Eckhart Tolle's Pain Body thesis and I made a note to look it up as well as the House of Leaves. Some places do just make you, as the visitor, very aware of the evils that happened there. I've felt my skin crawl or I've gotten goosebumps. Have you ever had that experience when you're somewhere like the House of Leaves?
You were nervous about writing about it? Do you feel comfortable sharing why? It does feel like a really heavy, nuanced topic. I fully agree about some places just making you feel so physically and spiritually unsettled. And the acts of evil that take place in some regions seemingly curse the land and I’ve heard anecdotes about birds and other animals leaving those areas, too. Not sure how measurable this is? And yes, I definitely had that experience at the House of Leaves and also at Gjirokaster Castle in south-central Albania -- it’s a castle that’s held many prisoners over the centuries including during WWII and under communism, too. A super eerie place. I also felt this when we were in the Tower of London. Have you felt it anywhere else? I’m also conscious that it often feels like it’s triggering a deep empathy response and maybe imagining the suffering takes that sense of discontent in ourselves to another level again? So many thoughts on this topic, for sure.
Also, you might find two books really interesting (I’ve read them both and they’re nonfiction works that have stayed with me):
Stasiland by Anna Funder about the GDR
Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick about North Korea and dissidents who’ve escaped through China
Hey Aoife, thanks for the book recommendations, these sound like they'll be right up my alley. I enjoy memoirs and particularly memoirs that are really moving.
I was afraid that I would not be able to convey how interesting, important, and educational I think Dark Tourists sites are but that I think we should also respect them. I also don't want anyone who has personal connections to such sites to think I am taking the situation too lightly or not giving it the seriousness it deserves. But I am going to drop that fear!
After visiting the museum in Lithuania, I did need a lot of recovery time. I don't recall feeling any evil or anything eerie but there were letters there and I remember reading about the tortures there, which I won't repeat and reading a plaque that explained that some tried to escape prisoner camps in Siberia to go back west to Lithuania or Ukraine or anywhere very far away and many were recaptured and sent back to camps or killed. Those types of stories made me very sad and I did cry in that museum. I am intrigued by Chernobyl, but I think there is still radiation at the site? I don't know if I want to go...
This is a really interesting topic--I didn't know dark tourism was a 'thing', but I understand it from my own lens. I have traveled to several battlefield sites over the years (does that qualify?) in the US, from the both the Civil and Revolutionary wars, and they are some of the most memorable places to visit. My late husband was a huge history buff, and we visited out of his interest (which became mine) and to further our perspectives on what had happened.
I definitely agree with Aoife about these spaces having an energy you can sense if you're aware of the possibility and in tune with your own energetic awareness--I've had that many times. Hope you continue to examine this. I'll look forward to reading more.
Hi Beth, thank you for your comments and for reading. I do find dark tourism interesting too and I think you're correct in classifying US Civil and Revolutionary war battle sites as dark tourism sites. I do wonder about how the energy affects us all differently? I have been to some Civil war sites but I was a kid so I don't recall much about them.
I did mention to Aoife that after visiting the museum in Vilnius, I needed a bit of recovery time as I had already visited some WWII memorials and sites in both Poland and Latvia already on that trip. On my way home, I was in Amsterdam for a couple of days and considered going to the Anne Frank House, but I could not handle any more heavy sites. I visited art museums instead. And, I was only there briefly and know I'll return and be able to visit and pay it the respect it deserves. So yes, you're both right, the energy is strong even if you can't exactly label it at the time. I think I am way more in tune with that sort of thing now than I was then so returning might be totally different. This topic continues for one more issue and I have a few articles I am looking at but going to see what I can find on the topic.
Sonya, this issue is really interesting and I loved reading a further introduction to Dark Tourism -- something I’m intrigued by in terms of it being its own travel experience thing while also feeling complicated emotions around when tourist/travel experiences overlap with what is essentially dark tourism. On this note, have you heard of Eckhart Tolle’s Pain Body thesis? If not, basically it can feel like an energetic field around places where deeply negative (read: awful) things have happened. Did you feel this when you were at the museum in Vilnius? I definitely felt something similar when I was at the House of Leaves -- the surveillance centre and courtroom of the secret police -- in Tirana, Albania. Equally though, sometimes I feel like you can sense the Pain Body in places where without really knowing what it is that’s “making your spidey senses tingle”. So interested in what you have to say about this! Hoping your January is lovely so far ☺️
Hi Aoife, thank you for your comment! I was nervous about this topic even though I started by keeping it more as an introduction. I have not heard of Eckhart Tolle's Pain Body thesis and I made a note to look it up as well as the House of Leaves. Some places do just make you, as the visitor, very aware of the evils that happened there. I've felt my skin crawl or I've gotten goosebumps. Have you ever had that experience when you're somewhere like the House of Leaves?
You were nervous about writing about it? Do you feel comfortable sharing why? It does feel like a really heavy, nuanced topic. I fully agree about some places just making you feel so physically and spiritually unsettled. And the acts of evil that take place in some regions seemingly curse the land and I’ve heard anecdotes about birds and other animals leaving those areas, too. Not sure how measurable this is? And yes, I definitely had that experience at the House of Leaves and also at Gjirokaster Castle in south-central Albania -- it’s a castle that’s held many prisoners over the centuries including during WWII and under communism, too. A super eerie place. I also felt this when we were in the Tower of London. Have you felt it anywhere else? I’m also conscious that it often feels like it’s triggering a deep empathy response and maybe imagining the suffering takes that sense of discontent in ourselves to another level again? So many thoughts on this topic, for sure.
Also, you might find two books really interesting (I’ve read them both and they’re nonfiction works that have stayed with me):
Stasiland by Anna Funder about the GDR
Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick about North Korea and dissidents who’ve escaped through China
Have a nice weekend xx
Hey Aoife, thanks for the book recommendations, these sound like they'll be right up my alley. I enjoy memoirs and particularly memoirs that are really moving.
I was afraid that I would not be able to convey how interesting, important, and educational I think Dark Tourists sites are but that I think we should also respect them. I also don't want anyone who has personal connections to such sites to think I am taking the situation too lightly or not giving it the seriousness it deserves. But I am going to drop that fear!
After visiting the museum in Lithuania, I did need a lot of recovery time. I don't recall feeling any evil or anything eerie but there were letters there and I remember reading about the tortures there, which I won't repeat and reading a plaque that explained that some tried to escape prisoner camps in Siberia to go back west to Lithuania or Ukraine or anywhere very far away and many were recaptured and sent back to camps or killed. Those types of stories made me very sad and I did cry in that museum. I am intrigued by Chernobyl, but I think there is still radiation at the site? I don't know if I want to go...
You also have a good weekend!
Sonya